FINALLY KIRUNA, LAPLAND

MY NEXT DREAM CAME TRUE!

We arrived to Kiruna on a sunny Friday afternoon, the 7th of may.
Delightfull sunny snowy welcome.

A flight to Stockholm, a whole night train to Älvsbyn and other 4 hour on a train, change in Boden to KIRUNA. Excited, needless to say, about crossing the Northern Polar Circle. It s our first time SO FAR IN THE NORTH!

Bold enough to ask a conductor whether they could anounce the moment of passing the Polcircle on the laudspeakers. GOT IT! HE DID!( this year we already crossed the equator, tropic of cancer and capricorne). A toast with beer with Thomas and Beritt coming from Luleå/Stockholm to Kiruna to surprise us and sitting in the same wagon. Lovely conversation with the Swedes from svenska skidförbund sitting around our table in the compartment. Looking out of the window on a ever whiter landscape, trees getting fewer and smaller.

The time ceseas to be. We are truly approaching END OF THE WORLD!


Anders came to pick us up in the station. He is exactly what I thought about the Lapland inhabitants- the latins of the north.

Our first delight were the icycles (istappar)on the roof of our house. EVEN IN MAY! What a spring!

Victor could not resist to touch and even taste one of them.

It s been nearly 8 years we have not seen the snow and ice!

We had a lovely winter walk in our new quarter;snow and sun is a great combination.

According to our request there was still plenty of snow around. Anders arranged it to fall a couple of days before our arrival.
Maybe it will snow again- he says.It did, on his birthday, the beginning of June!

Our first dinner in Kiruna: the chief offered the dried meat and salad as an entrance and we had delicious REINDEER STEAKS! All accompanied with Italian wine from Systembolaget. Excellent company of Anders and Monica, who turned out to be the QUEEN OF SNOW: that is, she governs in the kingdom of ICE HOTEL ( sic

She could not be a warmer person; and her offer to show us around the Ice Hotel is a prelude to my next dream- dance tango in Ice Hotel once! The big date is Monday. The Hotel, closed to the public, will be opened to us.

Right place, right people. It s great to meet the QUEEN of Ice Hotel directly!

Adorable shadow and light patterns on the snow.

Victor cannot imagine playing football on a snowy station.

Systembolaget is one of the most important shops in Kiruna. If offers you a wine journey all around the world. Impressive. It was our first attraction in Kiruna we visited inmediately when we arrived. Anders was equipped in a long shopping list he makes according to the recommendations he reserches in internet. The Swedish are so Swedish that the list he prints out indicates on WHiCH SHELF in systembolaget he will find a desired product! Anders asked us kindly to indicate our personal alcohol wishes. Spoiled for choices, but the only thing which came to my head was ´hembränt´.... I only know it as a lyrics of the ´Öppna landskap´ song...

In the center of Kiruna on a Friday afternoon. The town is almost empty!Our ever repeated question: WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE?

Anders and Monica offered us a great schottis class before the dinner. Maybe we should do an exchange- tango for swiss folk dance ?

On that very moment we decided that the next even with tango in Kiruna will be a combination of tango, Argentinean and Swedish folk dance. I WANT TO DANCE SCHOTTIS-det är så roligt!

Next day our workshops started. And thus our neverending questioning: WHY ARE YOU EAT SO MUCH/ SO OFTEN? However, we quickly understood and adjusted to this lovely Swedish ritual of caffe-keks-smörgås etc. Up in Kiruna it´s totally climatically justified. And it´s a great way to get closer to the students and remember their names. During this particular break between Sunday workshops we took this photo:

Cannot wait for the milonga in Kiruna- it is suppose to be their SECOND. AND WE ARE GOING TO BE AROUND in this historical moment. Cannot help of thinking about ' Swedish tango' film.